The Silver Stars

by David Silver

98 - Praise the Sun

Silver strode past two golden-armored guards into a new room. It was bright and cheerful, but what caught his attention was Celestia spread over a bed, looking at him expectantly. He inwardly flip-flopped, wondering if this was a bad sign, a good sign, or a great sign. "Good day."

Celestia nodded at him, watching him evenly. "I'm sure you know why you're here?"

Silver's betraying body showed its approval with the thought and he looked around, taking in the art that graced the walls of what appeared to be Celestia's private quarters.

Celestia smiled mischievously. "I think we have a misunderstanding. A large one." She raised a hoof and pointed to his discomfort. "You are not here for that."

Silver felt dissapointment and relief in equal measure. "Oh, sorry." His face turned red, but he approached then, feeling a little less awkward. "I didn't mean to, uh, assume."

Celestia sat up onto her haunches. "You know the truth of my feelings towards you, Silver. I do think I have been harsh on you, and that you are a good pony, but love, that's a powerful word. One I cannot use to describe you." She patted her bed, and Silver soon joined her, sitting across from her. "To be perfectly honest, I'm not that eager to bear foals."

This was news to Silver. "I thought you wanted one, from Twilight at first?"

Celestia leaned towards Silver. "I say many things. It made her think long and hard about things she wasn't comfortable about approaching, and she's grown from the experience. Do you think I'm a terrible pony for it?"

Silver considered it, fidgeting in place. "No, not specifically. I'm more confused. What do you want with me then? We're together, now. I'm technically your stallion, to serve your needs as they are, but I don't know what those needs might be?"

Celestia leaned in further, and their noses bumped. "You may serve that role in time. I'm certain my sister is more eager than I in this. I am betting on it, in fact. We can't both be hindered at once. Our enemies may take it as a sign of weakness. Now... Do you remember a little trip? You were to escort my sister to a foreign land, then... things happened, as they tend to do."

Silver thought back and nodded. "Did she go alone?"

"No, the trip was canceled, or postponed may be a better word." She rose up and stepped off the bed. "I will go instead, and I would like you at my side. We will go as prince and princess, and it should shake loose some results from them."

Silver turned towards her, but remained seated on the bed. "Won't they be watching us? They'll get suspicious if we don't act like a proper couple."

Celestia leaned in and kissed his cheek, bringing new warmth to it. "And you don't think I can play the part? The fates were kind, and you are a handsome stallion, at least. I won't be that upset to stand beside you."

Silver nodded, then pointed at the bed he was perched on. "And sleep with? Even if we don't do anything, they'll find it a bit odd if a royal couple takes separate rooms, right?"

Celestia shook her head. "I have nothing to fear from you. I'm certain you will not lay a hoof on me that isn't asked for. Do you give me the same trust?"

Silver smiled even as he said. "No."

Celestia flashed a wicked grin. "Smart boy. Let's establish a safeword. Nova. If either of us says it, we stop. Whatever we were doing, it stops. No questions."

Silver reached out and put a hoof on Celestia's sunny cutie mark. She said nothing. "I'm still not sure how much you believe me, but I do hope we can be friends."

Celestia gently brushed off the hoof. "If I did not truly believe that, we would not be having this conversation. Relax. Let's put our rough history behind us." She sat down, about eye-to-eye with Silver with the bed adding to his height. "Or do I have to start treating you like Twilight to get you out of your shell?"

Silver quickly waved a hoof. "No friendship letters, please. You don't get to act that way after you put me in that shell." He sniffed softly and tilted his head. "Are you getting close to your season, or am I just stuck on the wrong track?"

Celestia raised a brow. "You're not certain?"

Silver shook his head. "I, well. This isn't the body I was born into. It's a good one, and I like it, but I drive it more by thought and less by instinct. You smell... very good, but I don't remember you ever not, so I'm not sure. I'm not trying to insult."

Celestia put her hoof over Silver's snout. "While I appreciate your candor with me, you're going to have to keep those limitations to yourself in Anugypt."

Silver ducked under the hoof. "Important questions. When do you plan to go? How long? And who can I bring with me?"

Celestia answered without hesitation, "One month, three months, no one."

"No one!?" Silver squeaked. "I have a family, Celestia. That's not going to work."

"It will and it must." Celestia rested a hoof on Silver's left shoulder. "I'm counting on you. Do this well and you will be performing a great service to Equestria, and me."

Silver grit his teeth a moment before he shook his head. "I need to talk to my herd before I can even answer that. I won't make this decision without them. Why can't they come?"

Celestia sighed softly. "The situation has deteriorated. We can protect each other while I try to calm it down, but any non-royalty is going to be too tempting a target to get us to give in. Before you ask, there's no way I'm taking Twilight with us. She is not yet ready for this sort of assignment."

"But I am?" Silver huffed and sagged. A horny Celestia would have been a lot easier than this bombshell. "I'll talk it over with them. That's all I promise." Celestia didn't stop him from departing, so he did, and returned to Ponyville on his own wings. The town looked much more peaceful than the tumult in his head, and Silver watched over the ponies going about their quiet little businesses with a smile before he sailed over it and came in for a landing at Twilight's castle.

He had scarcely landed when he was tackled by his swollen herd-mate. It took a split second before he realized it was Night Watch, and he gently squeezed her in return. "Good afternoon. How goes the road?"

Night wrinkled her nose. "Almost done, and before I got too far in, like I said I would." She looked smugly satisfied about it. Then leaned in, sniffing softly. "Who got you?"

Silver flushed darkly. Stupid pony noses. "Right after I met with the Lightning Wheel, Luna had me diverted to the first mare."

Night frowned. "You promised..."

Silver sagged in defeat and Night easily kicked him over before sliding up onto his side. "You are just... the worst sometimes. Who was it?"

Silver flipped his ears back. "Is that something I should even say?"

Night waved a hoof. "You can tell me or I'll find out my own way."

Silver flopped in defeat. "Starli--"

Night drove a hoof into Silver's ribs with an angry grunt. "Glimmer?! Of all the ponies, that's the first? I'm guessing you didn't throw her out and call her a psycho?"

Silver squirmed under the pressing hoof, pain growing under Night's fury. He could have fought her off easily, but he felt in the wrong, having failed to ask her first. "No, no I didn't... She was honest and sincere, as far as I could see. We... did it, and she left."

Night huffed out a long sigh. "Mark my word, you'll eventually regret that." She slid off Silver. "It's my fault. That wasn't a reasonable request with how Luna operates." She leveled a hoof at Silver's snout. "That doesn't excuse your broken promise." Night trotted into the castle past the stoic guards. "Your punishment awaits."

Silver rolled up onto his hooves and followed after Night. He heard one of the guards snicker, whispering to his fellow about how funny it was to see even an alicorn prince was helpless before a mare's fury.

As it turned out, the punishment wasn't nearly as bad as Silver feared. Night demanded pampering of all sorts, and Silver gave her belly rubs, hoof rubs, a clumsy hooficure and a bath. He was her personal spa, and they both enjoyed the time with one another and nothing else pending but her care. It ended in a personal meal he prepared for her, feeding her bite by bite with a fork as he complimented her every feature, a task he could do honestly enough. He was quite happy he had Night Watch.

Later that evening, when everyone had gathered for group meal time, he shared what Celestia had said.

Twilight immediately puffed up. "What does she mean I'm not ready?! I know more about politics than you do, Silver." She scowled and grumbled.

Fast grit her teeth. "Uncool... I just got you back, and now you're going to leave for months?" She rose up and circled the table towards Silver. "Dibs." She seemed perfectly ready to drag Silver off for last-minute loving, but Night held out a hoof, blocking her.

Night shook her head. "Hold up there. He hasn't even agreed to go yet."

Fast shrugged. "You're better at patterns than I am. What are the odds Silver will say no?"

Night's ears fell. "Twenty percent."

Twilight huffed. "I'm not suggesting Silver say no. This is obviously important. I just wish Celestia trusted me enough to bring me too. It's not like I don't want to help Equestria, or see Anugypt."

Tumble pointed at himself. "But what about me? I'm supposed to be your guard."

Silver tapped his chin. "Good point... I'll ask about that. Maybe we can get you in."

Tumble beamed victoriously even as Night frowned. "Ugh, lucky bastard."

Fast leaned over and nuzzled Night. "You, my rotund mistress, need to focus on your next job after the road, and that's making this herd's first healthy foal."

Night only got more agitated. "Silver's going to miss the birth of his first foal! This is beyond cruel..."

Twilight counted in the air a moment. "There's still a good chance he'll be back before then, depending on a number of factors." She slid her own swollen form to the ground. "I need to write a letter. Celestia is vastly underestimating me."

Silver tilted his head at Twilight. "You're pregnant, and your friends here need you. You're practically Celestia's right-hoof enforcer. She trusts you to handle things while she is away. Who else would do that?"

Twilight hesitated, and grunted. "I hate that you have a point there."

The mood grew pensive as everyone had something to consider. Silver rose to his hooves and trotted for the exit. "I need to speak to Fluttershy."

"Fluttershy?" Night raised a brow. "No."

"Not for that! I think there's a misunderstanding between us and I want to clear it up." Silver slipped out and away, heading for the cottage at the edge of the forest.

Author's Note:

Celestia drops the mic, and the bomb, and the typos.

All hail the sun!

Comments

[harts fire]

wow that was a nuke she dropped and right on Silvers back.
and Night it is going to be really close if Silver sees the birth of his first foal.
as a father I can say it is a happy moment.
and I have seen a few of my mars give birth also.
but still this is going to be a rough choice for Silver to make, and some how I have a feeling that Celestia will be riding the shooting Star before the trip is over. yes she is older and can control her self around a stallion when in heat but and here is the big thing Silver is a good looking alicorn stallion and technically her herd stallion. I don't think I need to say more.
Harts Fire

[RuneStone]

All bow down to the sun god of Anugypt "TYPOS"

[Phobos]

Safe word should've been cabbages

[David Silver]

5992327 Why that?

[Phobos]

5992356 because of blue angel

[Istaran]

The situation has deteriorated. We can protect each other while I try to step it down, but any non-royalty is going to be too tempting a target to get us to give in.

Daniel Holden: It's dangerous to go alone. Take this! *offers null, the dead changeling* He has that perfect blend of invincibility and expendability that makes for a perfect minion.
Silver: but what if he gets killed or captured? Don't you care if he dies?
Daniel: eh, I am sure he will come back exactly as alive as he is now.
-3 months later.-
Silver: Here's your subject back. We got in a fight and he was killed, so we had him brought back to life. Great, huh?
Daniel Holden: wait, what?!
null: I kill you! *tackles Daniel*

Ok, maybe it's a good thing the IK is left out of the loop.

[David Silver]

5992897 What could possibly go wrong?

[Crystal Static]

fc01.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2011/313/d/0/praise_the_sun_by_jackbread-d4flgoy.png

Someone had to do that.

~Crystalline Electrostatic~

[candyman20XX]

Dammit Celestia!!!

And I was just starting to kinda like you too...

[David Silver]

5993758 Now now. You don't hate the president for taking care of international diplomacy, that's his job. Silver's a prince, with all the good and bad that comes with it, which means going along on said diplomatic mission.

[Alzrius]

"I think we have a misunderstand.

She thinks that they have a "misunderstanding."

She patted her bed, and Silver soon joined her, sitting across from her.

There are two spaces between "patted" and "her."

She sat down, about eye to eye with Silver with the bed adding to his height.

She was about "eye-to-eye" with Silver.

Celestia rest a hoof on Silver's left shoulder.

Celestia "rested" a hoof on Silver's left shoulder.

We can protect each other while I try to step it down, but any non-royalty is going to be too tempting a target to get us to give in.

"Step it down" isn't an idiom. Maybe "walk it back"? Or just "calm it down" instead.

"Dibs"

Put a period after this.

I think there's a misunderstanding between us and I want to clear it out."

Silver wants to clear it "up."

[David Silver]

5994938 Typos launched into the sun.

[Alzrius]

5994994 Princess Celestia surprises us twice over with what she wants for Silver, and the long-delayed trip is back on! This looks like the start of a great new plot-arc for the fic!

Let's start at the beginning. Contrary to expectations, Princess Celestia is not looking for a sexual encounter with Silver, even though she looks like she is, laying on her bed in what I can only assume was a "come hither" pose.

...and she's immediately back up to her old tricks again. So much for the more open, more playful Celestia we just saw.

Seriously, the amount of head-games that she's playing here were enough to make me wonder just how much she's really learned over the course of this entire fic. Acting coquettishly I can understand, that's just flirting. But her schtick about saying that she wants a foal from Twilight, not because she really does, but because she (apparently) wanted to push Twilight to admit that she was uncomfortable with the entire idea of having sex as a stallion...that's getting back into out-and-out manipulation. It's one thing to give Twilight dangerous missions that you hope will temper her into being able to take on a greater role. It's quite another thing to lie to her about your feelings regarding having children in order to nudge her sexual preferences in the way you want it to go!

I can understand Celestia's thinking that this isn't a big deal; she has a very long track record of thinking that the ends justify the means, particularly since Twilight didn't even seem to pick up on the hint she dropped before, but even so...this is not a good way to foster a relationship with the one you love. You can't be a mentor and a spouse at the same time; the former presumes that you're an acknowledged superior of the other, and the latter assumes that you're their equal. Obviously, there's going to be a transitory period from one to the other, especially since Twilight is still getting used to the idea, but it really seems like Celestia isn't "in it to win it," as it were. You don't manipulate the ones you love.

That said, Celestia then dropped a much bigger bomb in terms of the trip to Anugypt being back on! What's more, it's going to be her and Silver, all by themselves! I'm honestly quite shocked, since this fic is built on an ensemble cast - the idea of Silver and Celestia being alone together, for three months no less(!), is a major departure from the norm. Dream-walking notwithstanding, this is a major change to the usual dynamic, and you can see that in how everyone else is freaking out at the news. While a month is a long time to prepare, this is still going to be a radical departure from the norm, and a great chance to shake things up (and possibly introduce some new cast members).

I also think that Celestia has some machinations here as well. She could have sent Silver and Luna, but is instead monopolizing him all to herself. That's notable, because a prolonged period in close contact is the recipe for starting a relationship...is Celestia trying to set things up so that she can fall in love with Silver, allowing herself to have a foal with him? It would be right up her alley to do something like that. Not that it doesn't serve multiple goals as well, but still...that's actually rather ingenious.

One thing worth noting is that I'm glad that the issue of bringing Tumble along was addressed as well. Much like Celestia, Tumble could stand to benefit from some alone time with Silver to help them figure out their relationship status. Of course, as much as I hate to admit it, there are arguments against it as well. For one thing, are we even sure that Tumble is able to function effectively as a guard? He's only had the job for a few days, for all his qualifications at roughhousing. I worry that he'd be a burden, where guarding Silver is concerned. Moreover, it'd be...awkward, if he was outed as a colt cuddler while they were on official business; worse if Silver was outed as his lover! So there's a pro and a con to having him go along...though personally, I hope he does. If Silver can navigate so many relationships normally, surely he can navigate two uncertain ones at the same time. Having said that, this trip had better not be another attempt to get rid of him!

I'm also rather baffled at Night Watch, here. Unless I'm wildly misremembering - which is entirely possible - then I don't know what "promise" she's referring to that Silver broke. Insofar as I recall, it was Fast Change that wanted veto power over the mares Silver was going to stud. All Night wanted was to keep it to once a month at most, and that she know nothing about them...and yet she flat-out asked who Silver had screwed. So yeah, her logic is escaping me here.

To be fair, I can see her freaking out when she learned who it was. Finding out that your husband has just knocked up the mare who nearly killed your own unborn foal (or at least was involved) is sure to make anyone flip their lid. I'm amazed that she let Silver off the hook as easily as she did, though I put that down to her wanting to move past the issue more than her actually being alright with it. Just wait until the others find out...Silver may want to hurry with that trip abroad to escape their collective wrath.

So yeah, Anugypt ho! At least after Silver patches things up with Fluttershy.

[David Silver]

5995423 Celestia will be Celestia. It is not fast or easy for someone that set in their ways to change course. Luna is a good example of this, having grown through quite a pit of pain and poor steps over the course of this fic. She is better for it, I think. Celestia has not been into the crucible yet, and is used to having her stallions dance to her beat. Silver is sure to frustrate her often. They'll either grow past it, or try to murder each other. Let's find out!

It is questionable if Silver's desire to be intimate with her is helping or hindering the situation. He has more spine than he had before, at least, and isn't rolling over for her without objection. Perhaps he can win the sun in this trip, or experience the burn. On to matters closer to his immediate heart, his herd-mates are going to be a bit miffed at him for laying with Starlight, but he's sticking to his convictions. She has done no wrong since apologizing, so he has accepted that.

[Cursed Quill]

seperate

separate

[Guner]

All hail the sun!

img04.deviantart.net/55b5/i/2012/006/b/7/praise_the_celestia_by_romaniz-d4lhtsm.jpg

[Luckyfanisaac]

Celestia put her hoof over Silver's snout. "While I appreciate your candor with me, you're going to have to keep those limitations to yourself in Anugypt."

Is that different from Saddle Arabia?

how funny it was to see even an alicorn prince was helpless before a mare's fury.

HAHA HAHA HA HA!!

As it turned out, the punishment wasn't nearly as bad as Silver feared. Night demanded pampering of all sorts, and Silver gave her belly rubs, hoof rubs, a clumsy hooficure and a bath. He was her personal spa, and they both enjoyed the time with one another and nothing else pending but her care. It ended in a personal meal he prepared for her, feeding her bite by bite with a fork as he complimented her every feature, a task he could do honestly enough. He was quite happy he had Night Watch.

HA HA HAHA!!! OH MY GOD!